PC sentenced for assaulting man after row

Image source, Henfaes/Getty Images

Image caption, PC Simon Hartley was attending a minor incident in Bradford in October 2022 when the assault took place

A police officer has been told to do unpaid work after assaulting a member of the public while on duty.

PC Simon Hartley, an officer based in Bradford, pushed a man several times after an argument while attending a minor incident in October 2022.

He was found guilty of one charge of assault by beating at Bolton Magistrates' Court in December.

West Yorkshire Police said Hartley had been suspended from duty and would now face misconduct proceedings.

The officer had been called to a report of an HGV causing an obstruction on Queens Road in Bradford on 6 October 2022, West Yorkshire Police said.

When a member of the public remonstrated with Hartley about the nature of his driving, a confrontation started and he pushed the victim multiple times.

At Tameside Magistrates' Court on Thursday, Hartley was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and to pay 拢500 in compensation, 拢200 court costs and a 拢114 surcharge.

Det Ch Supt Nicola Bryar, from West Yorkshire Police, said the incident had been captured on the officer's body-worn video, dashcam footage and a mobile phone.

She said: "The law recognises that there are situations where police officers may be required to use force. It is vital though that it is only used when reasonable, necessary and proportionate.

鈥淚n this incident, there was no lawful reason for the officer to use force and the officer has now been convicted of assault."

Follow 大象传媒 Yorkshire on , and . Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk.